HOUSTON (August 20, 2024) – The Harris County – Houston Sports Authority Board of Directors today voted on and approved staff to move forward with the hiring of a company to conduct a facility condition assessment study for Toyota Center and Minute Maid Park.
“The Sports Authority is committed to maintaining the city’s professional sports stadiums to ensure both our tenants and citizens have the best sports and entertainment experience in the nation,” said J. Kent Friedman, Chairman of the Board for the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority. “The two downtown sports venues are now over twenty years old, and the Sports Authority is helping to get ready for the next twenty.”
In addition to the facility condition assessment study, the HCHSA Board of Directors also approved capital repair improvements to the Downtown Houston venues. The upgrades will add to the already significant investments made over the years by each tenant to ensure the facilities are on par with others around the country.
“As the city gears up for an exciting few years on the sports calendar and prepares to host some of the largest events in the world, the board members have instructed staff to pursue a comprehensive building assessment for both Minute Maid Park and Toyota Center,” said Janis Burke, CEO. “The study is intended to evaluate the state of each venue and see what type of future upkeep or investments may need to be made.”
Hotel occupancy and motor vehicle taxes were used to build the venues and continue to pay the bond debt service on both Minute Maid Park which opened in 2000 and Toyota Center which opened in 2003. The 30-year lease agreements were written in such a way that the tenants are required to use their own dollars to keep the stadiums on par with others around the nation.
The results of the condition assessment study will allow the HCHSA to further understand the needs for each facility and to make sure they remain competitive in the ever-changing world of the sports and entertainment industry.
“Houston has a strong sports brand and hosts some of the best sporting events around, which in turn bring huge economic impact to the entire region,” said Friedman. “The tourism and business community sees an uptick in revenues when we are awarded these bids and it is our intent to continue hosting prestigious sporting events for many, many years to come.”
The exact date and time of each assessment will be decided at a later date.
